Audible signal device having enclosed electrical vibrator

ABSTRACT

AUDITORY AND VIBRATORY DEVICES EACH COMPRISING A VIBRATOR AFFIXED TO THE FREE END OF A CANTILEVERED, CURVED ARM WHICH IS RIGIDLY AFFIXED THROUGH AN INSULATING BARRIER TO THE WALLS OF AN ENCLOSING RIGID CONSTRUCTION AND ELECTRICAL MEANS TO ACTIVATE EACH SAID VIBRATOR.

Feb. 9, 1971 l. LEVINE 3,562,747

, AUDIBLE SIGNAL DEVICE HAVING ENCLOSED ELECTRICAL VIBRATOR Filed Julyso, 1968 fig- I 13 ATTOR N EY "United States Patent 01 3,562,747Patented Feb. 9, 1971 3,562,747 AUDIBLE SIGNAL DEVICE HAVING ENCLOSEDELECTRICAL VIBRATOR Irving Levine, 509 Burghley Ave., Ventnor City, NJ.08406 Filed July 30, 1968, Ser. No. 748,669 Int. Cl. G08b 3/00 US. Cl.340-384 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Auditory and vibratorydevices each comprising a vibrator afiixed to the free end of acantilevered, curved arm which is rigidly aflixed through an insulatingbarrier to the walls of an enclosing rigid construction and electricalmeans to activate each said vibrator.

This invention relates to the general field of mechanicalelectricaldevices, and more particularly is directed to a sonic vibrator whichfinds utility in the general field of alarm systems.

The present invention incorporates in its operation the well knownfunction and utility of an electrical vibrator which is capable ofoperation with ordinary house current at 110 volts, 60 cycle,alternating current. In the instant application, the vibrator is soarranged within an enclosing structure as to be capable of generatingwaves in such a manner as to provide both auditory and vibratorycomponents during its operating periods.

Prior art vibrating devices have been utilized principally for exerciseand massage purposes and models which are portable for use with handoperation and table mounted for stationary installations have beenwidely employed in the past. In addition, models fully enclosed within arigid construction are well known and have been satisfactorily producedand used for many years. However, all prior art vibrating devices arerigidly afiixed within the enclosing constructions and all are designedto impart vibratory motion as generated by the vibrator directly to theenclosing structure. By fabricating prior art models with the vibratingdevice connected directly to the enclosing construction, completelyenclosed, vibrating units have been produced, but none of the prior artdevices were capable of generating sound waves in addition to performingthe normal vibrating function.

It is therefore an object of the instant invention to provide animproved sonic vibrator of the type set forth.

It is another object of the instant invention to provide a sonicvibrator incorporating well known principles in a novel manner so as toproduce both auditory and vibratory functions.

It is another object of the instant invention to provide a novel sonicvibrator that is compact in size and capable of being placed beneath thepillow of a sleeping subject.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel sonicvibrator including an enclosing structure, a cantilevered arm afiixed tothe structure, and a vibrator carried at the free end of the said arm.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel sonicvibrator that includes vibrator carrying means which are completelyisolated from the enclosing construction.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel sonicvibrator that is capable of operation by utilizing ordinary housecurrent.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel sonicvibrator that is inexpensive in manufacture, rugged in construction andextremely simple in use.

Other objects and a fuller understanding will be had by referring to thefollowing description and claims of a preferred embodiment thereof,taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein likereference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several viewsand in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic elevational view of the invention in use.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1, lookingin the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 33 of FIG. 2, lookingin the direction of the arrows.

Although specific terms are used in the following description for thesake of clarity, these terms are intended to refer only to theparticular structure of my invention selected for illustration in thedrawings, and are not intended to define or limit the scope of theinvention.

Referring now to the drawings, I show in FIG. 1, a sonic vibrator 10 ashereinafter more fully described in use beneath a conventional pillow12, for when the device will be used as an alarm device to wake asleeping subject. The vibrator 10 is equipped with an electrical cord 14of conventional design which terminates outwardly in a conventional plug16. The plug 16 may be connected directly to any conventional householdwall receptacle (not shown) or, preferably, to the receptacle 22 of atiming appliance such as a clock timer 18. The clock timer 18 includes atiming clock 24 which may be of the electric clock type and is equippedwith an electrical cord 20 for connecting to a conventional outlet (notshown) in the usual manner for powering the clock 24 and the receptacle22. In this manner, the clock timer 18 powers the sonic vibrator 10,which thereby becomes responsive to the control of the clock 24. It willbe appreciated that the sonic vibrator can also be connected to otherappliances such as a clock radio, electric alarm device, etc. and stillfunction in the same manner and under the timed control of suchappliances.

Referring now to FIG. 2, the electric cord 14 energizes the wound coil28 of the vibrator 26 so that the vibrator functions in its usual mannerupon introduction of electrical power to the electric cord 14, in thewell known manner. The casing 30 encloses the wound coil 28 andcompactly provides a method of attaching the vibrator 26 to thecantilevered arm 32 in any well known manner, such as by bolts, spotwelding, or other suitable rigid connection.

The vibrator 26 afiixes to the end of a curved, cantilever arm 32 whichmay be shaped to any configuration as necessary to fit within thecontours of the plastic enclosure 34. The enclosure 34 is constructed toa flat, rather oval configuration to conveniently fit beneath the pillow12 of the user (not shown) in as unobtrusive a manner as possible. Thearm 32 comprises a free end 36 and a stationary end 38 which immovablyafiixes to the plastic casing 34 in well known manner, such as by rivets40, 42. A foam rubber or other resilient material buffer strip 44interposes between the stationary end 38 of the arm 32 and the inside ofthe plastic enclosure 34 to effectively isolate the arm 32 from theenclosure 34.

'In operation, when the cord 14 is energized through the clock timer 18,the vibrator 26 functions in the usual manner through the usualintermittant action of the wound coil 28. The vibratory action of thevibrator 26 applies against the free end 36 of the curved arm 32 in sucha manner as to impress corresponding vibrations within the arm 32 at itsfixed end 38. In much the same manner as in the operation of aconventional tuning fork, the natural frequency of the curved arm 32together with applied frequency of the vibrator causes a low sound to begenerated which is substantially inaudible when the sonic vibrator 10functions in an open area. However, when the vibrator 10 is positionedbeneath a pillow 12 as indicated in FIG. 1, the person lying upon thebed with his head upon the pillow 12 in the usual manner can readilyhear the sound generated in the arm 32 by the action of the vibrator 26.In addition, the vibratory motion of the vibrator may also be feltthrough the pillow so that the person resting upon the pillow can bothhear and feel the sonic vibrator when it is functioning. In this manner,the sonic vibrator finds utility as an improved alarm and waking device.

By connecting the sonic vibrator 10 to a clock timer 18 as illustratedin FIG. 1, or to radio-alarm clock or a similar device, the sonicvibrator 10 can then function as a waking device featuring two entirelyseparate and effective methods of waking the sleeper, namely through theaction of the transmitted vibrations and through the auditory action ofthe generated sound. In addition to the usual awaking functions, thedevice finds additional application in waking individual personssleeping in dormatories where the usual loud alarm will awaken othersleepers or optionally, may readily be utilized to wake deaf personsthrough function of the vibratory actions alone of the device upon thepillow 12.

Although I have described my invention with a certain degree ofparticularity, it is understood that the present disclosure has beenmade only by way of example and that numerous changes in the details ofconstruction and the combination and arrangement of parts may beresorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the inventionas herein-after claimed.

4 What is claimed is: 1. A sonic vibrator including (A) an enclosure;(B) cantilever arm means within the said enclosure,

(-1) said means having a free end, and

(2) said means having a fixed end,

(a) the said fixed end being affixed to the inside of the saidenclosure,

(3) said means having a natural frequency; and

(C) vibrator means affixed to the said free end of the said cantileverarm,

(1) said vibrator means impressing a frequency upon the cantilever armmeans to add to the said natural frequency,

(2) said cantilever arm vibrating in response to the vibrator means toproduce a sound.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein vibration isolating means interposebetween the said fixed end of the cantilever arm and the said enclosure.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,722,681 11/1955 Hersh 340-38825 HAROLD I. PITT S, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

